May 15, 2017

Significant changes are occurring right now in the healthcare industry, with many more on the horizon.

Daily, we are inundated with news from various sources about the shifts and uncertainty happening in healthcare. We see the growing uncertainty in Washington with the planned repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act. We read about our elected officials in Richmond debating for and against Medicaid expansion. We hear about the challenges that patients are facing with changing insurance coverage, networks and deductibles. We feel the increasing healthcare needs of the aging Baby Boomer population, as nursing and physician shortages continue to grow nationwide.

Further complicating an already complex situation, healthcare providers are facing increased pressures to adapt to declining insurance reimbursements and changing government regulations as the need for investments in technology and infrastructure rise. Across the country, healthcare providers are being challenged to do more, with less.

Despite the uncertainties we face and the increasingly competitive environment, one thing is for certain, Danville Regional Medical Center (DRMC) and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County (MHMHC) are ready for whatever challenges come our way. As many of you may recall, in 2013, our hospitals came together to form the South Central Virginia Market, a powerful regional collaboration that has enabled both of our facilities to expand access to and continuously strengthen our delivery of high-quality care close to home. We are proud of our partnership and know that in the years to come, we will only grow stronger together.

Our hospitals are also united by a single mission: Making Communities Healthier. While our priority is to care for the sick and injured, our mission extends beyond the walls of our hospitals. We regularly partner with local organizations, schools and businesses to promote health and wellness to different populations throughout Southern Virginia and into North Carolina. We are a driver for economic development as two of the area’s largest employers and taxpayers. We continuously invest in our communities through capital improvements to our facility, new technology and the recruitment of talented physicians and staff to our region.

And this week is a particularly special one for those of us in healthcare as we celebrate National Hospital Week (May 7-13) and National Nurses Week (May 6-12). Both events seek to honor the men and women whose hard work and commitment are at the heart of our vision to create places where people choose to come for healthcare.

Contributing to the overall health and wellbeing of our communities is a privilege. We are proud of the efforts of all of our healthcare professionals, both here at DRMC and MHMHC, and throughout our region, who are dedicated to providing safe, high-quality, compassionate care, and we hope you will join us this month in celebrating their hard work and dedication. They truly do put the “care” in healthcare.

Together, our hospitals are making communities healthier each and every day, building upon our legacies and strengthening the delivery of healthcare in our region that will carry us into the future. We are proud of the partnership that our hospitals have built and know that it will ensure our ability to keep high-quality care close to home – for you and future generations.